PRESS RELEASE: NZMSA disappointed by lack of student input into rural health training hubs
New Zealand’s Medical Students are disappointed that a health sector meeting held this week on a new rural training proposal failed to engage with the students who are going to use them.

“We’re really excited by this proposal and believe it’s vital to help boost the future rural health workforce but we find it disappointing that not a single student was invited to attend,” says Fraser Jeffery, President of the New Zealand Medical Students’ Association.

The rural training hubs model was endorsed by the health minister, David Clark, at the National Rural Health Conference in Blenheim last month. More than 100 people attended this weeks’ meeting including doctors, nurses, midwives and managers and reports suggest that there is hope for the health hubs to launch at the start of next year.

“If there is a desire to have medical students based in these rural health hubs next year, I sincerely hope they talk to us before setting their plans in stone. There are many health professional students with a strong interest in rural health who would be excited to contribute to making the hubs a success.”